I don't often write about things that have happened to other crews, I think I've only done it the once - but I thought that you should hear about something that happened to two of my station mates a few nights ago.
They were heading to the hospital with a patient in the back when a young man ran into the middle of the road and laid down.
The ambulance stopped.
Then some broken bottle were thrown at the ambulance - the crew, on realising this, called for urgent police assistance.
The radio wasn't working properly so Control had difficulty hearing what they were saying. So the crew used their emergency phones, the phones that we have been given to call for help if we are being beaten up while away from the ambulance.
They didn't work either, apparently it is a software problem - road staff have not been informed about this problem.
While waiting they saw the same person throw more bottles at cars as they went past.
Finally they managed to get Control to understand what they were asking for and the police arrived.
Along with a sergeant that some of us think has a dislike of the ambulance service.
While taking the details of what happened (and holding the people who threw the bottle) the police didn't seem too interested as 'no damage has been caused'.
They also didn't care that one person was shouting abuse at the ambulance staff, why they were giving their statement.
No arrests were made and not even an apology was elicited from the bottle thrower.
All in all a nasty state of affairs - firstly that someone thinks that it is fun to throw a bottle at an ambulance, then the lines of communication seem to have broken down in what could be a critical way. Then the police appear to think that it is acceptable to throw bottles at ambulances, or if not, that there is no chance that it would go to court - even with a suspect that they 'know well'.
It's a real shame, because us and the police tend to get on exceptionally well, and I make note of this event only because it is so unusual. I'm wondering if there was an underlying reason behind the apparent lack of interest that night.
What I can admit that if it had been me that the bottle had been thrown at I wouldn't be sitting here typing this, I'd be in a police cell for giving some scumbag* a bloody good beating.
*Except, of course, he's probably poor, or an alcoholic, or a drug user, which would excuse his behaviour. There are no 'nasty people' anymore, just poor victims of socio-economics.
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Your Monday question :- Quite simply the best track to listen to while blue lighting it to a job is Queen's 'Don't stop me now'; what other tracks that get your heart pumping would you recommend listening to when racing to a job?
